These Sisters Rescued 54 Orphans

Katie Couric: For a long time, you’ve been drawn to children and Haiti. I’m curious how that happened.

Jamie McMutrie: I had [always] wanted to help out at an orphanage. In 2002 the people who were starting the orphanage that we work in now found me on the Internet and said, “Come to Haiti.” I did and never left.

Katie Couric: Ali, you followed in your sister’s footsteps. You went to visit and decided, “This is the life I want as well.”

Ali McMutrie: Yeah, there’s something about Haiti that sucks you in.

JM: Haiti chooses you, I think, more than you choose Haiti.

KC: How many children were in the orphanage before the earthquake struck?

JM: One hundred forty-nine.

KC: It is a miracle no one was killed. Where were you when the earthquake took place? It must have been terrifying.

AM: It was. We were on the way to the market in our car.

JM: We saw a factory next to us fall. We thought someone was bombing Haiti. Then the ground started shaking.

AM: We were picturing that the orphanage was flat. When we finally reached [an orphanage employee], I said, “Is everybody alive?” And he said, “Yeah, we’re all outside.”

JM: We didn’t cry until we found out they were alive. When we got home, the babies were sitting there clapping, because they don’t know. One little girl said, “Hey, while you were gone, our house was jumping!”

KC: What did you do with 149 kids? [The orphanage was uninhabitable; everyone had to live in the driveway.]

JM: We spent all day shopping [for supplies] and delivering them to the orphanage.

KC: What about water?

JM: We [had to use] dirty water and put [a tiny bit of] bleach in it.

KC: And you fed that to the babies with their formula?

JM: Yeah.

KC: You got word six days later that [Pennsylvania] Governor Rendell and others would expedite adoptions [of some orphans that were already underway] and allow you to take those kids to Pittsburgh.

JM: We didn’t believe it. Fifty-four children came with us; 49 went to Holland. France said they were coming to pick up the rest, which is why we left them there [with the orphanage’s founder], but they haven’t. We don’t know why.

KC: It must be surreal to think about all you’ve been through.

JM: It’s not over. We’re still getting phone calls and e-mails: “Can you help me? Can you bring me water?” These people are going to die. The earthquake killed 200,000, but…

KC: The aftermath is going to kill many more.

JM: Yeah.

KC: Do you think with all the attention focused on Haiti that things could improve?

JM: Haitians are so strong—people were being pulled out of the rubble alive 15 days later. They can do anything. We just have to make sure we’re all committed.

KC: Do you want to go back?

AM: Definitely.

JM: I can’t imagine not being there. This is part of our lives.

KC: What is the best way for people to help you?

JM: We don’t know what’s going to happen. We’re setting up a foundation at haitianorphanrescue.org. So we’re ready to figure out what Haiti needs us to do.